Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

QHow are TV displays measured?

AThe size of a TV is dictated by the diagonal diameter of the screen. This is calculated by measuring from the top left to bottom right of the screen itself - the measurement doesn't include the bezel (the casing around the screen) or any extras - just the screen.

QWhat is a 4k TV?

A4K TVs are ultra-high definition - they have a horizontal resolution of around 4,000 pixels, which is 4 times higher than "Full HD". This means the image will stay sharp even with larger screen sizes.

QWhat is the difference between 4k, Full HD and HD Ready?

AThese 3 are a measurement of the "resolution" of a TV - how many pixels the screen can display at once, and therefore how sharp the image is. HD Ready TVs have a resolution of around 1280x720 pixels, whereas Full HD TVs have a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. 4k TVs have a substantially higher density, being somewhere around 3840x2160 pixels.

The higher the resolution, the sharper the image will be on large screens. An 80 inch TV that only supports HD Ready will look muddy and blurry. On the other hand, 4k resolution will be wasted on a small 3 inch TV, since the screen is too small to make effective use of it.

QWhat is a Smart TV?

AA Smart TV has a net connection, and the ability to run apps like a computer. This means that as well as watching TV, you can use the device to access sites such as YouTube or Netflix, display news updates, browse social media and play music using apps such as Spotify.

QWhat do I need to watch Netflix?

ATo watch Netflix on your TV, you will need a Smart TV-enabled device (most modern TVs have this capability), a net connection hooked up to the TV, and a Netflix account.

QWhat is a 3D TV?

A3D TVs have the technology to display compatible programmes and movies in 3D, adding increased depth and realism. However they require both special glasses and 3D-compatible media to properly function. They also require a large-sized screen screen - at least 40" or larger. When these requirements are all met however, they provide an immersion hard to gain from any other TV.

QWhat is the difference between Passive & Active 3D?

AThere are 2 forms of 3D projection current used for 3D TVs. Passive 3D isn?t as detailed, but the TV and glasses required are cheaper. Moreover the glasses tend to be lighter and more comfortable to wear.

Active 3D, on the other hand, is higher resolution and gives a much better 3D image. However the equipment required tends to be more expensive, and the glasses are bulkier and heavier to wear.

QWhat is the difference between LCD & LED TVs?

ALiquid Crystal Displays (LCD) TVs work by shining light through a matrix of coloured liquid cells, whereas Light Emitting Diodes (LED) TVs utilise an enormous amount of tiny LED lights to shine light through, rather than a small number of lamps. LCD TVs still make up the largest amount of TVs on the market, but LED TVs tend to be significantly thinner and lighter, and give a better backlight coverage due to the larger number of lamps.

QWhat is an OLED TV?

AOLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TVs are a new technology that utilises a large number of coloured LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), each one producing a single pixel, together making up the whole screen. Because they don't require a backlight like LCD or LED TVs screens, the colour depth and contrast are far superior, however they are far more expensive.

How to Find the Best TV to Buy

Most people would agree: Buying a TV can be really confusing. It can seem complicated to understand what's behind the technical jargon and what the advantages and disadvantages of technologies like ‘HD Ready’, ‘OLED TVs’ and ‘Edge-lit LED TVs’ really are.

But it doesn’t have to be difficult to find the best TV for your room and budget. We will explain the different technologies in detail and highlight exactly what to look out for when choosing a new TV.

One of the first questions people ask is: what size TV do I need? When it comes to choosing the right size TV, there is one simple rule:

Buy the biggest TV you can afford and your room can accommodate.

It is incredibly easy to get used to a large TV. At first, you might think that a new TV is huge, but after a short while, you will become used to it and wonder how you ever lived with the small TV you had before. Wishing they had bought a bigger TV is one of the most common regrets people have.

Luckily, large televisions have become incredibly affordable in recent years and there are many TV deals available, including larger sizes of 50-inches and above.

The Difference Between Full HD, HD Ready 1080p and HD Ready Explained

TVs advertised as ‘Full HD’ or ‘HD Ready 1080p’ can handle and display High-Definition signals with 1080 horizontal lines. Most likely, these TVs also have a built in HD tuner such as Freeview HD.

Many televisions are also advertised as ‘HD Ready’. This is not the same as Full HD. It means the television can handle a HD signal from an external source such as a DVD Player or Sky, but it can only display 720 horizontal lines. This is less than Full HD but still better than the standard TV signal.

For small TVs (up to 32 inches), 720p HD Ready will be sufficient. If you are looking for anything larger, it makes sense to choose a television with a higher resolution.

Full HD TV prices have dropped significantly over the last couple of years making a Full HD TV with 1080p resolution great value for money.

When A 4K TV Makes Sense – And When It Doesn’t

Ultra HD TVs have been all the rage since their release a couple of years ago and there are now 4K TVs for sale from all the big brands, including Samsung and Sony.

4K refers to a horizontal resolution of around 4,000 pixels (usually 3840 x 2160 pixels). This means the resolution of an Ultra HD 4K television is four times higher compared to Full HD.

But why is this important?

As TVs get bigger, it is necessary to increase the screen resolution to prevent individual pixels becoming visible. With 4K resolution, images remains super-sharp even on a 80-inch television.

4K TVs have been on sale for a number of years and prices have reduced dramatically and there are some great 4K TV deals available. But:

4K content is not widely available yet, although this is improving gradually. Netflix started streaming it’s in-house produced series “House of Cards” and ‘Breaking Bad” in 4K resolution in 2014 and YouTube started supporting 4K as early as 2010.

So, is a 4K television worth its higher price? This really depends on your personal preference. If you are looking for the latest technology and are willing to pay slightly more for an ultra-sharp picture then 4K might well be a great choice. Especially for screen sizes above 55 inches, a 4K television will provide you with the highest picture quality available today.

A Cinematic Experience Like No Other: Curved Screen TVs

A couple of years ago, curved screen TVs from Samsung and other manufacturers appeared on the scene. They look stylish and promise a more immersive viewing experience.

We all know that manufactures are always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to market their products and some have said that a slightly different screen shape is just an attempt to generate sales. However, others say that curved screen TVs have real benefits:

Some people have reported a more immersive viewing experience due to the screen gently ‘wrapping’ around the viewers filed of vision. Each point on the curved screen has the same distance from the viewer when sitting in the ‘sweet spot’, which is usually 10-13 feet away. Reflections and distortions, which can be a problem on flat screen TVs, will also be slightly reduced.

However, due to the curve, the edges of the screen can also appear to be slightly larger than the centre of the screen. This ‘bow tie’ effect is noticeable to varying degrees and also depends on the viewer’s vertical position.

Prices of curved screen TVs are usually higher than flat televisions, although you might feel that the stylish appearance is well worth the added cost.

Special curved screen TV brackets are also available for wall-mounting.

Access Amazing Content With Smart TVs

Smart TVs can be connected to the Internet and give you access to a huge range of content, apps and games. Most TVs released these days have ‘smart’ capability. While you can still watch TV using the built-in tuner, the Smart Hub of your TV gives you access to a whole new world of content:

Watch movies, documentaries and your favourite series on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Missed a programme? Not a problem with catch-up TV services like BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4 on Demand and Sky Go.

Stay connected with apps including Skype, Facebook and Twitter.

Browse the web, just like you would on a PC or smartphone. Most smart televisions have built-in web browsers although some are easier to use than others.

Each manufacturers includes additional services like guides, recommendations of what to watch and customisation options.

Every manufacturer has their own preferred operating system and Smart TV platforms tend to change every couple of years.

As operating systems become more sophisticated, many services which were previously available as separate apps have now been integrated into the user interface. Before buying a TV make sure it has all the apps you want to use.

To find the best smart TV for your needs it’s worth knowing a bit more about the differences:

Samsung Smart TVs have had an overhaul for 2015 and Samsung’s Smart Hub is now built on it’s Tizen OS. A horizontal strip along the bottom provides easy access to apps and shortcuts. There is a slight similarity to LG’s webOS. Samsung’s operating system allows access to all the UK’s catch-up TV apps.

Sony, Sharp and Philips are using Google's Android TV OS to varying degrees. Andriod is offering rich content and apps with an easy to use interface.

Panasonic’s Firefox OS is the simplest and best-looking Smart TV interface around. It scores highly for being easy to customise but doesn’t compare to Google’s Android OS on content although it includes all popular apps such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

LG has completely refreshed its smart interface with the release of webOS 2.0 in 2014. It is fast and relies on an app bar located at the bottom of the screen, not unlike Samsung’s Smart TVs. Content is pretty good although it can be a bit tricky to use. Some smart TV reviews have pointed out that it may take a short while to get used to.

Another Dimension: 3D TV

The first 3D TVs became available a few years ago and especially higher-end LED and LCD TVs often have 3D capability.

While manufacturers are currently directing most of their attention towards ultra high-resolution displays, 3D TVs are not dead and can offer an additional sense of depth that provides a similar experience as watching a 3D movie in the cinema.

There are a few things to keep in mind about 3D TVs:

Screen size is important to provide a good 3D experience. A 32-inch 3D TVs might be too small for it to work well, so aim for a screen of at least 40 inches or bigger.

Make sure you watch from the optimal distance and avoid sitting at an angle to get the best 3D effect.

While 3D TVs without glasses would be ideal, they are required control the picture each eye sees to create the 3D effect. Check how many 3D glasses are included before buying a TV and make sure they sit comfortable.

There are two types of 3D television technology: active and passive. Each has it's own advantages and cost.

Passive 3D TVs

Mostly used by LG 3D TVs

Not as detailed as active 3D

Glasses are cheap and use a similar technology as 3D cinemas

Active 3D TVs

Used by Panasonic, Samsung and Sony

Higher resolution 3D image

Glasses synchronise with the TV

Glasses are heavier and more bulky & expensive

Are 3D TVs Worth the Money?

A lack of available, free content has been one of the biggest obstacles preventing 3D TV from becoming widely adopted.

Connecting a 3D compatible Blu-ray player is probably the best way to enjoy 3D content.

There are currently no 3D TV programmes available for free but some broadcasters like Sky, Virgin Media and BT vision offer a limited amount of 3D on-demand content to their subscribers.

LCD TVs vs LED TVs – Advantages & Differences Explained

LCD is the most common type of display used in TVs today. The days of plasma TVs are over and while OLED TVs are predicted to be the future, they are still relatively expensive. More recently all major brands have marketed ‘LED TVs’ as the new must-haves.

So, what exactly is the difference between LED and LCD TVs? Actually, the difference is not as great you might think:

A liquid crystal display (LCD) creates a picture by shining light from behind the screen through a matrix of coloured liquid crystal cells. Each pixel is controlled individually and adjusters how much light and colour is let through.

The backlight in ‘traditional’ LCD screens is created by a relatively small number of lamps. LED TVs, on the other hand, use a much larger number of tiny LEDs to create the backlight. This allows for much thinner displays, since the LEDs are much smaller.

The difference between LCD and LED televisions lies in their source of backlight. However the underlying screen technology is the same.

Back-lit vs Edge-lit LED TVs

In the search for ever-slimmer displays, manufactures are increasingly promoting edge-lit LED televisions. These models have tiny LEDs placed around the edge of the screen allowing for super-slim displays. The picture on some edge-lit TVs used to suffer from inconsistent lighting levels but the technology has improved a lot in recent years so this should no longer be an issue.

A direct-lit LED TV has lights covering the rear of the screen. While this ensures light is evenly distributed it does not allow screens to be as thin as edge-lit televisions.

OLED TVs – Everything You Need to Know

OLED is a completely different technology compared to LCD. The pixels in and OLED produce their own light instead of relying on a backlight. This is why OLED pixels are also called ‘emissive’. The technology is similar to the screens used in more expensive mobile phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge.

Because each pixel emits its own light, controlling each pixel’s brightness is much easier resulting in better contrasts and deeper blacks. On LCD screens the display is not always completely black as some of the backlight shines through.

Prices for OLED TVs tend to be higher, although OLED TVs are now common enough that some price deals are starting to emerge. OLED TVs are incredibly difficult to produce and only a few manufacturers have ventured into this field so far.

Toshiba TVs

Toshiba Television Prices

In total we found 43 Toshiba TVs ranging from £110 to £4,588. A new Toshiba TV costs on average £493 and 80% of Toshiba TVs are priced between £150 and £693. The cheapest Toshiba television that we found is the Toshiba 24D1633DB at only £110, and the most expensive is the Toshiba 65L9363 at £4,587.

Price Range of Toshiba TVs

Toshiba TVs start at £110 and their most expensive TV costs £4,587. The average price of Toshiba TVs is £493 which is the 14th highest average price of all TV brands.

Average Rating of Toshiba TVs

We have checked 14,414 expert reviews and 132,275 user reviews for TVs written online and used this data to calculate an average rating for TVs of 78%. This means that Toshiba the 22nd best rated television brand.

When Are Most New Toshiba TVs Released?

We couldn't see any prominent pattern in the release dates for new Toshiba TVs over the last 3 years. In March 2017 18 new Toshiba TVs were released making it the biggest month that year for new Toshiba TV releases. In 2016 most new Toshiba televisions were released in November, with five new Toshiba televisions released that month. 24 new Toshiba TVs were released in March 2015 making it the biggest month that year for new Toshiba television releases.

How Fast Do Toshiba TV Prices Drop After Release?

Most TVs drop in price by 14% in the first 6 months after release, however Toshiba TVs tend to depreciate faster. New Toshiba televisions drop in price by an average of 39% in the first 6 months after they wer first released. If you are prepared to wait then you could save an average of £369 on a typical £959 new Toshiba television by waiting 6 months before buying.